Tag Archives: Dale Earnhardt

The race was decided in NASCAR’s control room almost a minute after the event itself ended. Yogi Berra once said, “It ain’t over until it’s over.” Apparently sometimes it’s not over even when it is over.

The truthfulness of the legend of the Talladega Curse is lost to time and memories, but certainly there have been enough odd and tragic incidents at the track to give even a sober man pause. As the story is told, there were a bunch of folks none too happy about Big Bill France's decision to build his racetrack on the property he had bought. Among them were local hunters who said it was the best fox hunting area in the world; but the legend actually pins the curse on a local Native American tribe who considered the acreage sacred ground. The tribe supposedly sent their medicine man to ask France not to build there, but he refused to relocate and instead began construction in the late 1960s. As a result, the angry medicine man then invoked a curse on the new speedway… and no doubt was fined $5,000 by NASCAR for cursing.

a couple of quick points. First, most of those who say today’s racing with the new car and the Chase are better than years gone by weren’t around in the glory days of this sport or, if they were, they were sucking at their mama’s teat -- not watching races. Secondly, if the Chase and the new car appeal to you, that’s fine. Your opinion is valid, and I respect your right to feel that way. But I feel differently. And these columns are my opinions, no more or less valid than your own. If you really can’t stand reading what I say, feel free to stop and use the time you are no longer wasting reading this aging hippie’s opinions to write some columns of your own. If you have a way with words and a little luck, maybe one day you’ll be published, too, and then people can comment on your opinions.

With eight laps to go, Greg Biffle finally got around the outside of teammate Matt Kenseth to take the lead.

The bump-and-run maneuver -- as demonstrated by Carl Edwards Saturday night in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol to gain the win -- is without a doubt the sorriest, most low-rent passing tactic in the book. The maneuver requires very little skill, but lots of brashness coupled with minimal regard for sportsmanship. However, for only the second time in over 40 years of following the sport of stock car racing, I applaud the culprit and simply write it off as poetic justice.

This list of drivers I never saw but wish I had is about as unscientific as you’re going to get. I’ve not restricted myself at all in terms of criteria, and in a couple of cases, I quote from sources that know much more than I. Where relevant, I’ve explained my reasoning, so you know I'm just not pulling these things right out of thin air. Some choices are obvious and others may surprise you; so if you think I’m missing someone, write in and tell me why.

Today's Question: If DEI is indeed for sale, should Dale Earnhardt Jr. be the one to buy it and keep it in the family name?

My Jay Robinson Racing team continues to find our way. This is a new situation for me to try to make our team better. We went to Nashville and we were competitive to where we were able to finish 16th, on the lead lap which was a feather in our cap. We’re pointed in the right direction. That was a good run for us. Our team was happy--I didn’t think I would ever be happy with a 16th-place finish, but I thought it was good for our team. After Nashville, we went to Kentucky and had a fuel pump break at the drop of the green flag-the very first lap. That was disappointing because the goal on our team is to finish every race in the top 20. When I do that--finish in the top 20--that really makes us feel like we’re headed in the right direction. But life goes on there and you move on.

During Wind Tunnel on SPEED Channel Sunday night, another driver complained to Dave Despain that NASCAR needs to install better cooling systems in the Car of Tomorrow because of driver discomfort in the current model. But Despain responded in the same manner that I felt, stating that he does not think that improving the cooling system in NASCAR racecars should be a priority, because he has a little bit of trouble feeling sorry for men who get paid millions of dollars to drive them little more than a few times a week.

The Sprint Cup Series went from the gritty Darlington Raceway to the glitzy All-Star Race in the last two weeks; but now, it’s time to get down to business in the longest race of the year, the Coca-Cola 600. Sunday’s event will be a test of endurance for the drivers and crews, as they fight the change from racing in the daylight to finishing under the lights. But how will your fantasy team hold up during the year's longest marathon? More than any other race, you need to build around not drivers who that not only finish first, but specialize in being around at the finish: consistency and durability in your lineup are the keys to coming out on top. So, which drivers will help you go the distance and have your team outlasting the competition, and which ones will fizzle out before the end? Read this week’s Picks 'N' Pans to find out.